The Chronicle's report adds important new details to one of the year's most interesting political stories. It also adds a bit of labor politics intrigue to the story, since the huge international union known as SEIU -- a rival of the California Nurses Association -- recently put out statements praising Diaz Santillan that seemed to portray that union as a backer.

Why would two unions want it known that they helped the woman who felled Whitman? Certainly, one answer lies in the old expression that victory has many fathers (and defeat is an orphan). Here's my theory: Because both unions are organizing workers, particularly immigrant workers, they want to showcase their support for an immigrant worker such as Diaz Santillan.